Jury selected in trial for the murder of Indian Head Park teen

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The murder trial began today for a man charged with murdering a teenage girl in Indian Head Park home.

It’s taken three years to bring this case to trial, the process was delayed by the accused, 40-year-old John Wilson Jr, who represented himself in pretrial motions.

Wilson’s tactics drew a scolding from the judge who accused the defendant of trying to delay the trial with long winded pronouncements and strange questions. But today at the Bridgeview courthouse a jury was selected.

Wilson Jr has a lawyer now, and he sat quietly in the courtroom with his feet shackled underneath the table not visible to potential jurors.

Investigators say Wilson was burglarizing a home in south west suburban Indian Head Park October 27 2011, when 14-year-old Kelly O’Loughlin came home from school. Police say Wilson stabbed the teen to death and stole her cell phone, money and other valuables.

In the days following the murder, investigators say Wilson sent disturbing text messages to O’Laughlin’s mother using her stolen cell phone and taunted the family. O’Laughlin’s family was at the courthouse as they have been over the course of many and hearings and motions.